April 8, 2010 // 3:52 pm - Update: Thinq.co.uk now reports that Sony has stated they have no intention of reimbursing retailers if they offer fat PS3 users partial refunds because of the removal of the Install OtherOS function, and as a result retailer GAME is already refusing refunds.

According to PlayStationUniversity.com (linked above), a European law grants a partial refund to PS3 consumers due to the recent removal of the OtherOS feature in the PS3 Firmware v3.21 update.

A PS3 owner (60GB) version has managed to gain a partial refund from Amazon (without returning the system) due to the removal of the OtherOS feature.

The EU citizen cited a European law which states a product must be fit for its purpose which was made known to the seller at the time of purchase, and as a result he managed to receive around 80GBP back!

To quote: "The online retailer's policy was to offer a refund weighing in at approximately 20 per cent of the console's original value. Amazon responds:

We are writing to confirm that we have processed your refund in the amount of £84.00 for your Order 666-5327564-4432412.
Item Refund: £71.49
Item Tax Refund: £12.51
This refund is for the following item(s):
Item: Sony PlayStation 3 Console (60GB Premium Version)
Quantity: 1
ASIN: B0007SV734
Reason for refund: Account adjustment"

And here is the legal citation under Directive 1999/44/EC, which was accepted into European Parliament on January 1, 2002.

"The goods must:

â€¢ comply with the description given by the seller and posses the same qualities and characteristics as other similar goods
â€¢ be fit for the purpose which the consumer requires them and which was made known to the seller at the time of purchase."

these news unfortunately must be fake.. we have no certain proofs that it's a real fact. 2 persons saying so isn't a fact. they could have take advantage of this fake story to bring more people on their web sites.

The last thing we need at NeoGAF is more people on the website. The servers creak under the load at times anyway. Besides, the first time I posted about it wasn't at NeoGAF, it was on the EU PS3 message boards. Somehow I doubt Sony fabricated the story to pull more people to their site...

these news unfortunately must be fake.. we have no certain proofs that it's a real fact. 2 persons saying so isn't a fact. they could have take advantage of this fake story to bring more people on their web sites.

NeoGAF is NOT the sort of site which would lie about this stuff to to get visitors, given that there's about a 1 year wait to get posting rights.

I just got offered from AmazonUK to return & refund for the 80GB console. The problem just returning the console is what the heck to do with the all PS3 accessories I have bought from the A and the 3th parties, value of them is greater than the console.

Even if this is true ... lets say Amazon and whoe-ever else sells the PS3's decides to pay out 20% of the value of the console because of the loss of hte OtherOS. (How many fat units were sold? Do the math) And all these retailers go to $ony demanding millions of dollars. $ony turns around and re-introduce the OtherOs in order not to refund all that cash - What do the retailers do now?

Go to every individual (including the US Army who bought 2200 units) and ask for their money back?? And lets for argument's sake say that $ony decides to introduce it also into the PS3 slims - can $ony ask the owners of the PS3 slims to pay for the update because there is something new? (and this goes for all new features consumers might ask for and eventually get through ofw). I guess not!!!

why would the us army be updating their ps3s anyway? they do not need access to psn for their research work. they also do not play games or blu-rays on their machines. the army's ps3s live in the otheros, they have no need to boot into the gameos. same as any research company that bought a large quantity of ps3s. the main reason they were purchased is for the ability to use the cell processor.

If it comes to the push, $ony could also just give PS3 owners with certain model/serial numbers credit on PSN to compensate for the OtherOS loss - that way they won't have to fork out hard cash to anyone.